September 24, 2009

In this month’s edition of the “USA Otackers,” our monthly column in Figure Oh (No. 140), Patrick Macias and I bust the case of the Macross “marriage set” wide open with a report on the crazed American fans who, like Fox Mulder in the X-Files, “want to believe.” (For those not in the know, the mythical marriage set supposedly contains both Takatoku 1/55 Max and Miriya Valkyries packaged in a single box. Although American collectors have claimed sightings for years, no evidence has ever turned up, and both Japanese toy scholars and industry insiders insist that it doesn’t exist.)

The article is all in Japanese, so you’ll have to rent a friend to translate if you’re language-impaired, but I am happy to report that piece apparently made a bigger splash than I thought. It came up during a totally unrelated conversation with “top men” from a Certain Japanese Toy Company That Shall Not Be Named last night. Absolutely no promises or guarantees of any kind made or implied. But how fitting would it be if the combined wishes of uncounted Macross-maniacs finally willed the damn thing into existence?

Alright let’s get to the point. Enough with the speculation. This expert said this, that expert said that, we know more experts than you do, whatever. Money talks and BS walks. I’ll pay $6,000 USD for anyone that can produce an original 1983 Takatoku Max & Miria 1/55 Scale Dual VF-1J “Marriage” Box Set in Near Mint/Mint Condition. If it exists, cough it up, I’m paying cash. Send photos to chokinzoku81@gmail.com. Homemade contraptions need not apply.